Cybernetics
Cybernetics - an Arcane Background allowing you to install cybernetic devices. You begin with 10 power points and one power. Normally you recover power only outside of combat and chase scenes. You may suffer from -1 Charisma due to negative reactions to your visible implants.The following edges require Cybernetics:
- Cyborg - Your body has been heavily re-engineered; choose one attribute and increase that die type by two, or increase two attributes by one apiece - if you go over d12, it becomes d12+1, d12+2, etc. You also gain +2 Toughness but an additional -1 to Charisma (-2 total). You become vulnerable to electrical damage (double damage).
- More Human Than Human - requires Seasoned as well as Cybernetics. You negate all Charisma loss from now cleverly-disguised cybernetic implants (but you lose +2 Toughness if you had Cyborg); instead, you gain +1 Charisma due to cosmetic surgery perfecting your appearance.
- Increased Power Pool - increases your power pool by 5 points. You may take this once per Rank.
- Internal Reactor - make a Vigor roll vs a target number of 4 to recover 5 power points; each Raise generates an additional power point. If you fail, you run out of power entirely and may not try again for 3 rounds while your reactor reboots. On a Botch, you are Shaken. Each time you use this, increase the target number by 1. The target number resets when you finish a combat or chase scene.
- Subcutaneous Armor - your body has been implanted with ceramic plates of armor. You have 2 points of Armor. This consumes no power.
- Retractable Claws - you may install hidden claws or spikes (str+1d6 damage) that you can pop up at willl (Quickdraw for this weapon only). They do not consume power.
- Hidden Gun - you may install a hidden Glock-style gun that you can pop up at will (Quickdraw for this weapon only). (12/24/48 range, 2d6 damage, RoF 1, 17 rounds capacity, AP 1, Semi Auto) You cannot reload this in the field.
- Arm Cannon - requires d8 Strength. You may eschew subtlety and simply mount a machine gun alongside or replacing one of your arms. This weapon is equivalent to the M60 (range 30/60/120, 2d8+1 damage, RoF 3, AP 2, Snapfire penalty, 250 shots). You cannot reload this in the field. You have Quickdraw for this weapon only.
- Enhanced Vision - you may replace your eyes with cybernetic ones which are capable of infrared vision and telescopic sight. This gives you +2 to Notice versus stealthed enemies and you only take -2 range penalty at Long Range; you have no range penalty at Short or Medium Range. This consumes no power.
- Enhanced Hearing - you may replace one or both ears with cybernetic ones which are capable of passive sonar and amplifying distant or faint sounds. This gives you +2 to Notice and Streetwise. This consumes no power.
The following Powers may make sense to purchase as active power-using devices or implants. You should choose one with your Cybernetics Edge. Additional powers beyond the first one can be purchased with the New Power Edge.
- Bolt - laser gun (cannot use Additional Bolts). Roll Shooting.
- Boost Strength - cybernetic implants that greatly amplify your strength while active. It is boosted by two die types, but cannot Raise. This costs 2 power points for 3 rounds, then 1 power point per additional round.
- Burst - flamethrower or sonic blast (nonlethal).
- Entangle - net projector. Roll Throwing.
- Invisibility - your specially engineered clothes and skin are capable of actively copying all light passing through from one side to the other. Automatic success but no Raise; others are at -4 to Notice you. This costs 5 power points and lasts 3 rounds, then 1 power point per additional round.
- Light - optic implant. Consumes 1 power point every 10 minutes. You can optionally turn this up to be bright enough to blind enemies, treat as a Burst costing 2 power points in that round. Roll Shooting to hit. Enemies have a target of 4 to be Blinded; on a Raise they are also Shaken.
- Obscure - smoke grenade launcher. Roll Throwing.
- Quickness - cybernetic implants that greatly amplify your reaction speed and reflexes. You gain two attacks per round at no multi-action penalty. Costs 4 power points for 3 rounds, then 2 power points per additional round.
- Speed - bionic legs. Costs 1 power point per round. Your Pace is doubled to 12 while this is effective; in addition, you may jump great heights, i.e. from the ground to the roof of a two-story tall building. When jumping, make an Agility roll to ensure a safe and accurate landing.
- Stun - Tesla coil which fires an electrical charge (nonlethal). Roll Shooting.
Important: not all possible cybernetic implants are listed here.
Neural Jacks, Wireless, and Coprocessor implants are discussed in Av2ModernCharacters. These do not require the Cybernetics edge, and do not carry the charisma penalty that Cybernetics and Cyborg do.
You should refer to Savage Cyberware for a more complete list of devices that might be available as implants. However, rather than costing money, you would pay for implants with Edges. If a device is not useful enough to be worth an Edge by itself, you may bundle it with other devices, or you may buy it using money. In general, you can get N$5000 worth of cyberware per Edge.
